DIY Birthday Cards

 HI!  One of my favorite things is to walk around Hobby Lobby with no exact purpose.  I feel like there are so many hidden treasures just waiting to be found!  One of my {goals} for 2014 is to send out Birthday cards.  I have always been terrible at this.  I actually can't remember the last time I put a card on a birthday or shower present.  I usually have to raise my hand and say "oh that ones from me!"  With my new goal I thought I would get more into it if I made my own cards.  So I headed to Hobby Lobby and a couple hours later I came home with all this...

Tall Tan Man decided he had to go golfing, which let me get a little craft crazy.  I think it was too much pink and glitter for my manly man. I did find some ideas {here} before I got started.

Option One

The first card I created was a cake made out of the decorative tape.  Nothing technical about it at all.  Making the cake stand was a little tricky, but I sketched out the shape on computer paper and cut it down until I was happy.  After I was happy I traced the stand onto the glitter paper and vuala! 

Option Two

I feel silly explaining this one, because it is as simple as it looks.  1.  Arrange decorative tape at different heights 2. Cut out flames from gold glitter paper  3. Glue on flames

Option Three

Yep, this one is simple as well.  1.  Cut out the bottom of the cupcake {I cut out a box first then angled the sides}  2.  Sketch the frosting on computer paper then use that as a stencil  3.  Cut out frosting  4.  Use the decorative tape to make the candle

Alright y'all, I'm onto my next project. Hopefully it will make this week go a little faster!

{LJ}

Ranch Cheese Ball

Happy Sunday!  I am relaxing on the couch and our house is SO clean.  You know what is really awesome about that fact?  I had nothing to do with.  Tall Tan Man is my hero.  

We are really excited about the Super Bowl here in Denver!  While Peyton Manning uses this week to prep for the Seahawks, I will be dedicating my time to figure out what we will be on the menu {equally as important, right?}.  This {Ranch Cheese Ball} is the most popular recipe on the blog, and it is fantastic!  I promise it will be a crowd pleaser at your party.  You can make the cheese ball the day before, and not think about it until party time!  I made everything the same as the recipe except I formed the cheese into a football instead of a ball...obvious right? :) I worked on a sheet of wax paper so it was easy to move it onto a plate.  After the cheese football cooled for 30 minutes, I placed the laces on it that I had cut out of wax paper.

I patted the chopped pecans on, and then removed the wax paper.  Easy!  Oh by the way the smaller you chop the pecans the better.  Have a fabulous week and

{LJ}

14 in 2014

 I saw one of my favorite bloggers {Amy Ann @ The Real Arnold} do this, and I thought I would join in.  These are not really New Years resolutions, but things I have wanted to do for a while. Hopefully I will do most of these and keep you updated along the way! 

1.  Run two races.
2.  Take our honeymoon.
3.  Take my camera off automatic.
4.  Make friends at church. 
5.  Buy a house.!!!???
6.  Hike a fourteener. 
7.  Visit friends in Dallas, Houston, OKC, and Nashville.
8.  Go skiing. 
9.  Finish a non Nicholas Sparks book. 
10.  Cook a seafood dish for Tall Tan Man {i loathe seafood}. 
11.  Take a cake decorating class this summer. 
12.  Send birthday cards. 
13.  Work on getting abs. 
14.  Get a blowout.  

Have a fabulous short week!

{LJ}

Pulled Pork Quesadilla

HOW ABOUT THEM BRONCOS!?

Can you tell I am from Dallas?  The Broncos may or may not be my second favorite NFL team, but all that really matters is that I have the happiest husband in the world right now.  This past week I made Pioneer Woman's {pulled pork recipe}.  Night one we had pulled pork sandwiches {phenomenal} and night two I made quesadillas.  I didn't know it was possible, but it was tasted better than the sandwich.   

Ingredients:
One Serving

1/3 Cup Pulled Pork
1/2 Cup Bell Peppers
1/4 Cup Onion
Mexican Blend Cheese
2 Tortillas
Butter
Guacamole {optional}

Directions:

1.  In a small skillet melt butter on medium heat.  Cook peppers and onion until browned.  

2.  Butter one side of each tortilla.  

3.  Place a tortilla in the skillet butter side down.  Top with cheese, peppers, onion, pulled pork, and the other tortilla. 

4.  After a few minutes flip the quesadilla over.  This can get a little messy...I flip fast with a large spatula and use my hands.  Smash the quesadilla down with your spatula and continue to flip until you get the desired crispiness.  

5.  Cut in to sixths and serve with guacamole.  

Alright y'all I am going to curl up and watch Revenge.  Enjoy your Monday off work {if you have to work, sorry...}!

{LJ}

NYE in the Northeast

Oh man.  I have been sick for the last four days, and I don't know about you but when I get sick I forget what it felt like to be healthy.  It all started with a crossfit class where I thought I over-did-it, but turns out all those coughs in my classroom caught up to me.  Feels good to finally be on the mend.  Tall Tan Man was wonderful, he did many dishes, got me panera, and let me control the TV.  Over Christmas break, Tall Tan Man and I went up to Boston to "spend New Years Eve with some friends".  TTM and I drove back from Oklahoma on a Sunday {10 hours} and then took the red-eye flight to New Hampshire.  Hint* Ignore the bags under my eyes...

We had a short stop by the beach, it was freezing, then we headed into Boston.  We had an awesome hotel that looked over Fenway Park!

The boys thought it was pretty cool that they stayed at the same hotel where this scandal took place.  

If you're ever in Boston I definitely recommend the Busy Bee for breakfast.  I spent most the day after that perfecting my Boston accent.  Apparently, I was confusing my Boston and New York accents. 

Here we are ready for the New Years Eve concert by the oh so talented Ayla Brown.  

TTM played ball with Ayla's boyfriend Keith and we were there to celebrate more thaj just New Years.  

The next day we toured Boston some, the city is beautiful. 

Largest Christmas tree I have ever seen.

We had to stop by the famous Mike's Pastry.

Our trip was wonderful and TTM wasn't ready to go home...

I was ready to sleep in our bed, but we had a little bit of a problem.

Thankfully winter storm Hercules couldn't stop us!  So excited for the Brown/Weiser wedding! 

{LJ}

Christmas Recap

I don't know about y'all but I felt like I blinked and December was over.  I am missing our Christmas tree and decorated mantel already!  We spent our first married Christmas with family at the ranch. This is one of my favorite places to be.

 

After the presents are opened the ladies begin their work in the kitchen.  Did that sound sexist?

perfect tenderloin = happy tall tan man

This picture makes my mouth water...

Then the men retreat to the back room to watch the latest Pirates of the Caribbean movie and play snooker {aka pool}.

 Take me back!

 Such a great Christmas with my man!  Hope you have a wonderful week. I hope my students settle back in soon, because I don't know if I can keep up with the energy they had today!

{LJ}

Goodbye 2013

Hi y'all!  Tall Tan Man and I are currently loving our extended stay at Boston Logan Airport.  Flight delays are the best.  Anywho.  I haven't been home or opened a computer in 9 days.  I think am ready to be back in a normal routine...  I'm weird, I miss the gym.  Here are some highlights from the blog in 2013.  It was a crazy year full of ups and downs. 

I got married!!!  Check out all my posts {here}.

  Caroline Jurgensen Photography

I {moved} to Colorado!

 Tall Tan Man got back into building furniture.  Check out the {bed} and {coffee table} posts!

We decorated our apartment.  {craft cabinet},  {eat sign}, {chalk board menu}, {desk redo}, {aubusson blue table}

  

 

 

 

Finished the year with 12 days of Christmas {just scroll down to see those}!

{LJ}